According to police in the small city of Dublin in the San Francisco Bay Area, the rapper was in a vehicle with expired registration, and he was not the vehicle’s registered owner. A spokesperson told CNN: “After asking Hammer who the registered owner was, he became very argumentative and refused to answer the officer’s questions.”

The 50-year-old rapper was taken into a local jail and booked, before being released on bail. A court date has been set for next month (March) and police have until then to decide whether to proceed with charges.

Two days after the incident (February 23), MC Hammer took to Twitter to tell his side of the story. He began a series of tweets by posting: “chubby elvis looking dude was tapping on my car window, I rolled down the window and he said ‘”Are you on parole or probation?”

Later in his stream of tweets, the rapper posted:

I will now answer his question, contrary to his personal beliefs, all people of color are not on parole or probation fat boy !!!

Hammer also appeared to criticise the police officer’s motives, posting: “only thing more dangerous than a scared man with a gun, is a scared man with an agenda, a gun and a badge. I was citied for obstruction smh.”

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However, the rapper refused to be ground down by the incident, adding: “Instead of being bitter, I’m taking the opportunity to make this a “teachable moment” and “eye opener” for my many friends & colleagues.”

MC Hammer – real name Stanley Kirk Burrell – released his last album ‘DanceJamtheMusic’ in 2009. He is best known for his 1990 hit ‘U Can’t Touch This’ and his trademark “parachute pants”, a distinctive pair of incredibly baggy trousers. He became a TV preacher in the 1990s.